Camera tripod



Oct. 23, 1951 H. N. GIBSQN 2,572,468

' CAMERATRIPOD Filed Nov. 29, 1946 34 51 3e 52 as Y 3| 45 I v 44 E if 43 22 4 42 46 27 a9 :2

4 i 2 g 25 l0 2 )6 E 20 A 2 l2 13 E n g s adjusted to the desired angle.

Patented ct. 23 1951 UNITED STATES lATEN'P OFFICE CAMERA TRIPOD Horace N. Gibson,'St. Paul, Minn. Application November 29, 1946, Serial No. 713,008

My invention relates to an improvement in camera tripod and deals more particularly in a swivel head connecting the legs of the tripod to the camera.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a'swivel head for supporting a camera on the top of the tripod so that it may be readily My swivel head is easy and quick to operate and may be simply and economically made.

i A feature of the present invention lies in the provision of a socket on the top of a tripod in so as to render the threaded clamping element readily accessible.

A feature of the present invention lies in the provision of a camera bolt designed to extend into a suitable socket on the camera to hold the camera locked to the swivel head. The bolt is provided'with a head positioned within the swivel head and accessible through the open opposite sides thereof.

A feature of the present invention lies in the provision of a retractable camera bolt andmeans for normally holding the bolt retracted. In tripod structures having a camera bolt normally projecting therefrom, the threads of the bolt are easily injured if the bolt is accidentally struck against an object while carrying the tripod. In

my construction the threaded end of the bolt is normally retracted and is resiliently held in this retracted position so that the threads of the bolt can not be accidentally injured.

These and other objects and novel features of my invention will be more clearly and fully set forth inthe following specification and claims.

In the drawings forming a part of my specification:

Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view through the head of the tripod showing the manner in which [the tripod is connected to the camera. Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the camera bolt in retracted position.

Figure 3 is an elevation view of the tripod head in detached position.

' Figure 4 isa bottom plan viewof the tripod head showing the construction thereof.

7 Claims. (Cl. 248-181) The tripod A includes a head body member I0.

' The legs I I of the tripod are pivotally connected to this head member I0. As best illustrated in Figure 4 of the drawings, the lower end of the body member Ill is provided with three angularly spaced notches l2 into which the upper extremities of the legs II extend. V-shaped notches I3 are provided between the notches l2 so as to provide walls through which the-pivot bolts may extend. The V-shaped notches I3 provide substantially parallel walls I4 through which pivoting bolts I5 may extend to hold the legs I l pivotally connected to the head body H).

A socket [6 having as its surface the segment of a sphere is provided in the upper surface of the body It. This socket I6 is arranged axially of the body I2. An aperture I'I extends axially through the body ID from the base of the socket I6 to the under-surface l9 of the body 10. This aperture I! is designed to accommodate a threaded stud 20 which is anchored to the body and held from rotation relative thereto by a locking nut 2|. The threaded bolt 20 extends upwardly from'the body II] a substantial distance. A- swivel head 22 is adjustably supported in the socket I6. The swivel head 22 comprises a tubular body wall 23 which is formed inwardly at its lower extremity so that the lower end 24 thereof is arranged on the surface of a sphere. The outer surface of the lower part 24 of the swivel head is of substantially the same radius as the surface of the socket Hi. The aperture 25 of substantial size is provided at the lower extremity of the tubular body 23. As a result the swivel head 22 may tilt at a substantial angle with respect to the axis of the body I0 if desired.

A swivel clamping member 26 is provided inside the lower end portion 24 of the swivel head 22. This clamping member 26 is provided with a spherical under-surface to fit the curvature of' the inner surface of the curved lower extremity 24 of the swivel head 22. As a result the curved lower end of the swivel head may be engaged between the clamping member 26 and the head body I0 and held in any desired angular relation. The clamping nut 21 is threadably engaged on the bolt 2|) and may be threaded against the fiat upper surface 29 of the clamping member 26. By rotating the clamping nut 21 in one direction, the clamping member 26 may be urged toward the head body I0, clamping the curved lower end 24 of the swivel head in adjusted position. By rotating the clamping nut 21 in the opposite direction, the clamping force may be removed, allowing the swivel head 22 to be moved relative to the head I and the clamping member 26.

In order to permit easy adjustment of the clamping nut 21, I provide apertures 30 in opposite sides of the tubular body 23 of the clamping head through which the fingers may be inserted. The clamping nut 21 is provided with a roughened or knurled outer surface so that this nut may be easily engaged between the thumb and fingers and rotated in the desired direction.

In order to close the upper extremity of the swivel head 22, I provide a cap 3| including a top closure plate 32 and a depending peripheral skirt 33. The skirt 33 extends about the tubular swivel head body 23 at the upper extremity'ther'eof and forms a top closure for this swivel "head. The cap 3! may be secured to the .swivelhead body in any suitable manner, as by "welding, soldering, or by the use of any suitable'fastening means. The top plate 32 of the cap 3| is provided with a downwardly extending axial boss 34 which may be secured to the plate 32 or may be an integral part thereof.

A camera attaching bolt35 has its threaded end 35 extending into the aperture BT-in the top plate32 and boss 34. The aperture 3! is axially arranged in thej'cap. The threaded end 36 of the anchoring'bolt is engageable into an internally threaded socket 39 in the camera B when it is so desired to secure the camera .B to the tripod A.

In order to rotate thecamera attaching bolt 35, I provide a-nut-or collar 40 which is connected to the bolt 35 for rotation therewith. As illustrated in Figures 1 and -2 of the drawings a pin 4! ma extend through a portion of the nut 40 and through the bolt-35 to connect these elements for rotation in unison. The nut 40 includes a circular bottomflange '42 and a cylindrical peripheral flange '43 thereupon. A center hub or boss 44 is also provided integral with the circular flange 42, this boss "44 encircling the bolt 35. A cup shaped member thus formed capable of receiving one end of a spring 45. The spring 45 bears-against thecircular flange 42 within the peripheral flange or sleeve 43 and at its other extremity bearsuagainstthe undersurface of the boss-34. The spring 45 normally urges the bolt 35 downwardly away from the cap 3| so as to retract the threaded end 36 of the camera attaching bolt .into the aperture 3.1. When in retracted position the threads of the bolt 35 can not be injured bynacciden-tally striking the bolt against :a projection in carrying the tripod.

It will be noted that the lower end of the bolt 35 projects below the-flange 42 of the nut 40. It will also be noted that the bolt 20 extends only a portionof the distance through the clamping nut 21'. A central-recess thus formedwithin the clamping nut .21 and coaxial therewith into which the lower end of the bolt 35 may extend in retracted position'lof thisbolt. The engagement of the bolt 35into'therecess has two-purposes. In the'first place the recess .46 forms a bearingfor the lower'en'd .ofithe'boltl35-as this bolt is retracted. In thesecond place this arrangement holds the swivel head 22 aligned with the head body 10 when the camera is not attached thereto. Thus when the tripod is not in use, the swivel head is in axial alignment with the tripod head and is not free to swing or .pivot during the handling of the tripod.

The operation of '.my'tripod isbelieved obvious from the foregoing description. -When the tripod is placed in a standing position the swivel head 22 is in alignment with the tripod head so that as the bolt 35 is retracted, the camera is placed over the swivel head 22 and the bolt 35 is grasped by the fingers and raised upwardly until the upper threaded end 36 of the bolt projects above the aperture 31. By rotating the bolt 35 this bolt may be engaged in the socket 39 of the camera B.

The angularity of the camera and the swivel head attached thereto may be regulated by loosening the clamping nut 21 and swinging the swivel head into the desired position. This may be done while looking through the finder of the r-camera if so desired, as the clamping nut is readily accessible and may be readily actuated while looking through the camera finder. When 'the'cameraiis at the proper angle relative to the tripod head, the clamping nut 21 is tightened, forcing the clamping member 26 against the lower-curved end of the swivel head and clamping this curved swivelhead end against the surface-ofthesocket 25. v I

In accordance with the; patent s tatutes, I -have described the principles of construction-andoperation of my camera tripod, and w-hilelhave endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that obvious changes may be made within the scope-of the following claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A tripod including a tripod head, aeswivel head, a socket in said tripod head, arounded lower end on said swivel-head engageable .in-said socket, an axial aperture in .said-lswivel head, ;a clamping member -within said swivel head,- threaded means extending through saidclamping member and said aperture and into .said tripod head, means on the upper=extremity of said threaded member, said last named means .beingengageable against said clamping. member, ,an-axial aperture in said last named means, -a closed upper end on said swivel head,:an axia1 aperture therein,-a camera engaging bolt slidable in saidaperture, a collar on .said bolt intermediate theends'thereof, the lower end of said clamping bolt being -,engageable in said aperture in said meanson said threaded member-when these two elements are .in alignment, and spring means between .said collar and said-closed upper end -=urging said oameraengaging bolt into said aperture.

2. A tripod including a tripod-headlhaving a socket in the upper-surface'thereof, an elongated swivel head including a hollowcylindrical --body l head, theaaperture' in sai daswivel headbeingof considerably greater size than the diameter of said threaded element, *and'a pairof diametrically opposed elongated slots in said swivel headc-extending from the -.upper endthereof to -a cpoin adjacent the rounded lowerend thereof.

3. The structure described inclaim .2 and including a closed upper -end-on saidswivel vhead, an aperture in said closedupper end, .a threaded element extend-ing through said aperture .insaid closed upper end, a knob on said last inamed threaded element within said =swivel'head, said last named threadedelement being .enga'geable with the means on said first named threaded element to limit downward movement thereof, a circular groove in the upper surface of said knob and a spring interposed between the base of said groove and said closed upper end.

4. A tripod including a tripod head having a concave socket in the upper surface thereof, an elongated swivel head including a hollow body having a rounded lower end and having an aperture therethrough, a clamping member within said rounded lower end, a threaded member extending into said tripod head, through said aperture and through said clamping member, means on said threaded element engageable against said clamping member to clamp the same against the rounded lower end of said swivel head, the aperture in the swivel head being of considerably greater size than the diameter of said threaded element, and elongated slot means in said swivel head above said rounded lower end to permit the insertion of fingers into the interior of the swivel head.

5. The construction described in claim 4 and in which the swivel head is provided with a top closure member, a threaded element extendable through said closure member, knob means on said last named threaded element within said swivel head by means of which the last named threaded element may be rotated, a groove in the upper surface of said knob concentric with the center thereof, and a spring in said groove between the base of the groove and the top closure of the swivel head.

6. The structure described in claim 4 in which the means on the threaded element for engaging against the clamping member comprises a nut having a threaded aperture therein for accommodating the threaded element, the aperture extending beyond the end of the threaded element, a closed upper end on said swivel head, a

bolt extending through said closed upper end and having means thereupon within said swivel head by means of which said bolt may be rotated, a downward axial projection projecting downwardly from said bolt, said projection being engageable in the aperture in said nut when the threaded element and bolt are in alignment.

'7. The structure described in claim 4 and in which the means on the threaded element for engaging the clamping member comprises a nut having a threaded aperture therethrough for accommodating said threaded element, the aperture extending beyond the upper end of the threaded element, a closed upper end on the swivel head, a bolt extending through the closed upper end and having means thereupon for rotating the bolt, a downward projection aligned with the bolt, said projection being engageable into the aperture of said nut in one position of said elements, and means on the upper surface of said nut into which said projection may extend in other relative positions of said threaded element.

HORACE N. GIBSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 164,384 Osborne Dec. 1, 1891 508,319 Ivarson Nov. 7, 1893 672,703 Esmond Apr. 23, 1901 1,536,985 Swinford May 5, 1925 1,794,726 Mitchell Mar. 3, 1931 1,812,614 Viken June 30, 1931 1,870,766 Beistle Aug. 9, 1932 2,318,910 Zucker May 11, 194 

